All Discussions Tagged 'drugs' - Atheist Nexus2018-02-18T05:16:17Zhttp://atheistnexus.org/forum/topic/listForTag?tag=drugs&feed=yes&xn_auth=noAnyone else have trouble finding a compatible psychotherapist?tag:atheistnexus.org,2014-09-23:2182797:Topic:24795392014-09-23T06:31:29.737ZAtheist in FundyLandhttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/AtheistinFundyLand
<p>I went through mountains of paperwork and saw one therapist three times over the course of about six months. Had I scheduled another session, it would have been at least a month from now. There are only about six therapists in my area who take my kind of health insurance. So far, every one I've seen has been incompatible. And it takes at least six months to get started on "therapy" because there are so many patients and so few counselors. Add to that the fact that I'm an atheist and things…</p>
<p>I went through mountains of paperwork and saw one therapist three times over the course of about six months. Had I scheduled another session, it would have been at least a month from now. There are only about six therapists in my area who take my kind of health insurance. So far, every one I've seen has been incompatible. And it takes at least six months to get started on "therapy" because there are so many patients and so few counselors. Add to that the fact that I'm an atheist and things look almost hopeless.</p>
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<p>You see, my counselor didn't understand how badly religion can hurt a person or how ostracized and rejected one can feel after "coming out" as an atheist in a small, conservative town. I went to her because I felt ostracized and rejected. After today's session, I felt even more ostracized and rejected. I came out of the session feeling much worse than when I went in. </p>
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<p>The funny thing is I talked to a lady afterward who was a billion times more helpful than the licensed therapist. She actually understood me and agreed that this town is oppressively conservative to anyone who is different. This is a fact. Anyone with eyes can see it. And yet my therapist denied it and told me I had an attitude problem. Yes, I know I have to make some changes, but I also want a therapist who understands the fact that coming out of religion was excruciatingly painful and that living in a religious community is filled with perils, especially if I stay true to myself.</p>
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<p><span>The lady from Croatia was so kind. She figured I must be thirsty and gave me water. I've been in a lot of emotional turmoil and instead of dismissing it, she comforted me. She bemoaned the fact that an atheistic therapist had just quit the clinic and that my only other choice is a young man who probably wouldn't be right for me either. I was terrified about tonight's chorus practice and she gave me her card and urged me to call her and tell her how things went. In just a few minutes, this woman helped more than the entire clinic had in the six months I've been registered there. </span></p>
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<p><span>She told me the atheistic counselor is moving to a clinic that also accepts my health insurance. There's a small chance I could get in to see her. That doesn't guarantee we'll get along, but at least there's a small chance.</span></p>
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<p><span>Through all this I've kept in mind recent studies that suggest anti-depressants and psychotherapy are no more beneficial than a placebo. I'm a walking argument for this point of view because neither has done me much good in the long run. At this point, I'm trying to find my own path. I wanted to include psychotherapy because even if it doesn't work, it doesn't have the horrible side effects of psychiatric drugs.</span></p>
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<p><span>I am now of the opinion that psychiatric drugs did me more harm than good by destroying my health. I can't prove it yet, but I believe I'm correct. I didn't have fibromyalgia until after the drugs. I didn't gain weight until after the drugs. I didn't have type 2 diabetes until after the drugs. Once I came off Cymbalta and went through some excruciating withdrawals (yes, there are withdrawal symptoms from these drugs...HORRIBLE withdrawal symptoms; don't trust any psychiatrist that tells you otherwise), I lost 50 pounds. I'm only using insulin a couple of times a week now. I was using it at least twice a day. The pitting edema is gone. I still have a little bit of non-pitting edema in my legs, but it is manageable. My health still isn't great, but it's better than it was when I was on Cymbalta. I will have another huge battle on my hands when I decide to go off the next psychiatric drug. If I come off Seroquel successfully, maybe I can lose the rest of the weight I gained when I went on psychiatric drugs some twenty years ago..</span></p>
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<p><span>To the psychotherapist I saw today, I have something to say: </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">Religion is harmful.</span></p>
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<p>Sorry, cold and unhelpful therapist woman I saw for the last time today, but that's the truth. I don't <em>need</em> to be more accepting of religion any more than I <em>need</em> to be more accepting of racism. Can I love religious people? Sure. I do it every single day. But I need a better way of handling my emotions. If you don't understand where I'm coming from, how in the world can you help me? In order to make changes, I need to feel safe and I can't feel safe with someone who denies the truth. It was also obvious that you didn't give a rat's ass about me. It was in everything you said, in every move you made.</p>
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<p>Then a lady from Croatia showed me that a tiny bit of kindness is worth more than six months of your crappy psychotherapy. Thank you, kind lady. I thank the god that doesn't exist that you were there to save me from one of his followers.</p> This could go in moral n ethics forum too. *Justice Dept. Seeks to Curtail Stiff Drug Sentencestag:atheistnexus.org,2013-08-12:2182797:Topic:22852162013-08-12T14:07:34.456ZAgeOfAtheists14http://atheistnexus.org/profile/secularorbust
<p>WASHINGTON — In a major shift in criminal justice policy, the Obama administration will move on Monday to ease overcrowding in federal prisons by ordering prosecutors to omit listing quantities of illegal substances in indictments for low-level drug cases, sidestepping federal laws that impose strict mandatory minimum sentences for drug-related offenses.<br></br><br></br>F i n a l l y....…<br></br><br></br></p>
<p>WASHINGTON — In a major shift in criminal justice policy, the Obama administration will move on Monday to ease overcrowding in federal prisons by ordering prosecutors to omit listing quantities of illegal substances in indictments for low-level drug cases, sidestepping federal laws that impose strict mandatory minimum sentences for drug-related offenses.<br/><br/>F i n a l l y....<br/><br/><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/12/us/justice-dept-seeks-to-curtail-stiff-drug-sentences.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/12/us/justice-dept-seeks-to-curtail-stiff-drug-sentences.html</a><br/><br/>the lost people and broken families thank you.</p> San Leandro youth pastor n dozens arrested_ prostitution sweep last week in Floridatag:atheistnexus.org,2013-05-17:2182797:Topic:22350992013-05-17T18:22:22.736ZAgeOfAtheists14http://atheistnexus.org/profile/secularorbust
<p><em>... i'd like to post positive side(s)??? er' outcomes to christianity.. etc. but...</em></p>
<p id="paragraph1"><span class="font-size-4"><strong>A</strong></span> San Leandro youth pastor was among dozens arrested during a massive prostitution sweep last week in Florida, who was in Orlando for a ministers conference.</p>
<p id="paragraph2">Samuel Yoon, 45, who works at <a href="http://www.ncmcem.org/" target="_blank">New Community Mission Church, a Southern Baptist church in San…</a></p>
<p><em>... i'd like to post positive side(s)??? er' outcomes to christianity.. etc. but...</em></p>
<p id="paragraph1"><span class="font-size-4"><strong>A</strong></span> San Leandro youth pastor was among dozens arrested during a massive prostitution sweep last week in Florida, who was in Orlando for a ministers conference.</p>
<p id="paragraph2">Samuel Yoon, 45, who works at <a href="http://www.ncmcem.org/" target="_blank">New Community Mission Church, a Southern Baptist church in San Mateo,</a> was arrested May 8 as part of an undercover sting in Polk County, Fla. In all, 92 people were arrested in a span of four days.</p>
<p id="paragraph3">Yoon could not be reached for immediate comment, but a pastor at his predominantly Korean church told NBC Bay Area on Thursday that was was surprised at the allegations.</p>
<p id="paragraph4">Yeong Kwon called Yoon a "good guy."</p>
<p id="paragraph5">According to Kwon, Yoon has worked for six years at the church and oversees 40 youngsters.</p>
<p id="paragraph6">Sheriff's deputies said Yoon responded to an ad posted by an undercover detective offering women for sale. Authorities say that he was looking to have sex with who he thought was a 14-year-old girl. He was in Orlando at the time, authorities said, to attend a youth ministry conference. He was arrested on charges of traveling to meet a minor, using a computer to solicit a felony, lewdness.<br/><br/>~<br/><a href="http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/San-Leandro-Youth-Minister-Arrested-in-Florida-Prostitution-Bust-207766001.html">http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/San-Leandro-Youth-Minister-Arrested-in-Florida-Prostitution-Bust-207766001.html</a></p> Very telling regards to war on .. an herb called cannabis.. Greydon Square n' co..tag:atheistnexus.org,2012-11-13:2182797:Topic:21004572012-11-13T14:06:35.638ZAgeOfAtheists14http://atheistnexus.org/profile/secularorbust
<p>@ 6:30<br/><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Sl8abBIoTEk?list=UUYkONAQRxkAqxxmvjffgs-w&amp;hl=en_US&amp;wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe>
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<p>@ 6:30<br/><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Sl8abBIoTEk?list=UUYkONAQRxkAqxxmvjffgs-w&amp;hl=en_US&amp;wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</p> 3 new dangerous drug habits of teens (energy drinks, pharm parties and huffing) fubar.tag:atheistnexus.org,2012-02-21:2182797:Topic:18644922012-02-21T04:17:09.350ZAgeOfAtheists14http://atheistnexus.org/profile/secularorbust
<p><a href="http://www.mnn.com/family/protection-safety/stories/3-new-dangerous-drug-habits-of-teens">http://www.mnn.com/family/protection-safety/stories/3-new-dangerous-drug-habits-of-teens</a><br></br><br></br>It's well-known that teens experiment with <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">illegal</span></strong> substances such as alcohol and marijuana. But recently, children and teens have turned their attention to substances found at home or local convenience stores. They're abusing…</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mnn.com/family/protection-safety/stories/3-new-dangerous-drug-habits-of-teens">http://www.mnn.com/family/protection-safety/stories/3-new-dangerous-drug-habits-of-teens</a><br/><br/>It's well-known that teens experiment with <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">illegal</span></strong> substances such as alcohol and marijuana. But recently, children and teens have turned their attention to substances found at home or local convenience stores. They're abusing parents' prescription painkillers, energy drinks and computer cleaners. <br/> <br/>Here are three new drug <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>trend$</em></span> among kid$:<br/> <br/>Energy drinks in elementary school<br/>In recent years, drinks that combine alcohol with caffeine, such as Four Loko, have been blamed for the deaths of teens and college students. But a new epidemic involves younger children: elementary school students are drinking highly caffeinated energy drinks to catch a buzz. Even without alcohol, these drinks are dangerous to kids' health.<br/> <br/>"Energy drinks are gateway for elementary school kids," said Mike Gimbel, a national substance abuse educator. "They drink it like it's water. Nurses have kids coming in with heart palpitations."<br/> <br/>Gimbel said he has also observed a growing fascination among elementary school students with caffeinated gel strips that you place on the tongue, such as ones made by the brand Sheets. <br/> <br/>"One strip is equal to a cup of coffee, but kids are putting five or six in their mouth at once," he said. "You can overdose on caffeine by taking three or four."<br/> <br/>Overconsumption of caffeine, especially in young children who have smaller bodies, can cause seizures, strokes or even sudden death, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. <br/> <br/>Huffing Dust-Off<br/>Huffing, or inhaling household products, is not a new phenomenon. But experts have started to see an increase in teens huffing the computer cleaner called Dust-Off, a trend that started a few years ago. <br/> <br/>Dust-Off, sold at office supply stores, can be inhaled to produce a high lasting a few seconds to a few minutes. <br/> <br/>"One of the attractions is that it can be felt almost immediately," said Harvey Weiss, executive director of the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition. "You don't have to wait for something to happen."<br/> <br/>Inhalants can cause nausea, nosebleeds, impaired coordination and, in some cases, death.<br/> <br/>According to a study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in 2010, about 2 million kids ages 12 to 17 had tried inhalants, the most popular being glue, shoe polish or toluene, a solvent.<br/> <br/>Weiss said that parents should look to see if their children have a "sudden drop in grades, a rash around mouth or nose, a change in friends, weight loss or an odor of products on their breath."<br/> <br/>Thirty-seven states currently regulate the sale of inhalants to minors, but many of these products are easily accessible within the home, he said. <br/> <br/>"I hear from parents, especially those who have lost children, that they were aware of inhalants, but never imagined their kids would do them, so it wasn't discussed," Weiss said.<br/> <br/>Pharm parties<br/>At age 14, Brittany Gaydosh, walked into a New Year's Eve party at a friend's house, drank a couple of shots of Bacardi 151 rum, and made her way to a Ziploc bag filled with pills. <br/> <br/>"There were Ecstasy, Xanax, Percocets, Valium and other pills in the bag that night," Gaydosh said. "I took four Ecstasy pills and a Xanax."<br/> <br/>Throughout her teenage years, Gaydosh attended at least 20 parties like this, the now 23-year-old said. She would take handfuls of pills, wash some down with alcohol, and save the rest for later. And she's not alone. According to experts, such parties, known as "Skittles parties" (because of the brightly colored pills) or "pharm parties," have rapidly gained popularity among teens. <br/> <br/>"At a lot of the parties, they just throw the pills on the table," Gaydosh said. "It's like candy that you can take home with you." <br/> <br/>Teens are taking painkillers, mainly highly addictive opioids such as OxyContin and Vicodin, from medicine cabinets in their own homes, said Dr. Petros Levounis, director of the Addiction Institute of New York in Manhattan. <br/> <br/>"They're getting these prescription pills from parents or grandparents," Levounis said. "Say I go to the dentist for a tooth extraction and I get 30 painkillers and maybe take one. My granddaughter could go into my medicine cabinet without me knowing and bring the rest of the pills to a party."<br/> <br/>A recent report from researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that each year, more people die from prescription painkiller overdoses than from heroin and cocaine overdoses combined. <br/> <br/>"Addiction to prescription opioids has become the most important problem we face," Levounis said.</p> So about the drugs n' mormon connection(s)? nahhhh...tag:atheistnexus.org,2012-02-09:2182797:Topic:18514112012-02-09T01:33:41.467ZAgeOfAtheists14http://atheistnexus.org/profile/secularorbust
<p>ha. classic vid.<br/><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/EaH3I7vRcB0?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe>
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<p>ha. classic vid.<br/><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/EaH3I7vRcB0?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</p> Some bad news. Girl; young adult. hides at church w/drug problem kills her child.tag:atheistnexus.org,2012-02-08:2182797:Topic:18514322012-02-08T23:52:45.616ZAgeOfAtheists14http://atheistnexus.org/profile/secularorbust
<p>Something smells of fail here; the lord stuff that is..</p>
<p>"I strangled them and slit their throat and stabbed them now they're dead," Bustamante wrote in her diary, which was read in court by a hand-writing expert. "I don't know how to feel atm. It was ahmazing. As soon as you get over the 'ohmygawd I can't do this' feeling, it's pretty enjoyable. I'm <span style="text-decoration: underline;">kinda nervous and shaky though right now. Kay, I gotta go to church now ……</span></p>
<p>Something smells of fail here; the lord stuff that is..</p>
<p>"I strangled them and slit their throat and stabbed them now they're dead," Bustamante wrote in her diary, which was read in court by a hand-writing expert. "I don't know how to feel atm. It was ahmazing. As soon as you get over the 'ohmygawd I can't do this' feeling, it's pretty enjoyable. I'm <span style="text-decoration: underline;">kinda nervous and shaky though right now. Kay, I gotta go to church now … lol</span>."</p>
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<p>Bustamante then headed off to a youth <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">dance at her church</span></strong> while a massive search began for the missing girl<br/>~<br/><br/></p>
<p>The teenager's defense attorneys had argued for a sentence less than life in prison, saying Bustamante's use of the antidepressant Prozac had made her more prone to violence. They said she had suffered from depression for years and once attempted suicide by overdosing on painkillers.<br/><br/>-------------in my humble opinion seems sedation of the lord and synthetic drugs failed.<br/><br/><em>IMHO; women like that need 1. better family/extended family in the know about such a disposition 2. legalize pot; or have a reformation of mental illness awareness; psychologists etc. fk scientology and all the crap Regan undid...</em><br/><br/><br/><br/><a href="http://www.freeinternetpress.com/story/Missouri-Teenager-Gets-Life-Sentence-For-Killing-9YearOld-33844.html">http://www.freeinternetpress.com/story/Missouri-Teenager-Gets-Life-Sentence-For-Killing-9YearOld-33844.html</a></p> Modified ecstasy drug attacks cancer. BBC...tag:atheistnexus.org,2011-08-19:2182797:Topic:15560702011-08-19T18:22:32.310ZAgeOfAtheists14http://atheistnexus.org/profile/secularorbust
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14572284">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14572284</a>
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14572284">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14572284</a> Even the UN weighing in on synthetic drug; corruption and abuse...?tag:atheistnexus.org,2011-06-23:2182797:Topic:13697522011-06-23T15:42:22.434ZAgeOfAtheists14http://atheistnexus.org/profile/secularorbust
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-13881690">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-13881690</a>
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-13881690">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-13881690</a>